Cash and parcel carrying system for store service



(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. K. P. NOURSE.

CASH AND PARGEL CARRYING SYSTEM FORSTORE SERVICE Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. K. P. NOURSE.

CASH AND PARCEL GARRYING SYSTEM FOR STORE SERVIGE.

No. 311,513. Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

Wfiwnrag i Z 17% 4 Sheets Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

NOURSH CASH AND PARCEL CARRYING SYSTEM FOR STORE SERVICE,

(No Model.)

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. K. P. NOURSE.

GA$H AND PARCEL CARRYING SYSTEM FOR STORE SERVICE.

No. 311,513. Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

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JAMES K. 1?. NOURSE, OF FRANKLIN, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO-THIRDS TO CHARLES GRANT, JR, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CASH AND PARCEL CARRYING SYSTEM FOR STORE SERVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,518, dated February 3, 1885.

Application tiled December 29, 1884. (No model.)

To (all who/1t it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, JAMES K. P. NoURsE, of Franklin, in the county of Norfolk and State of l\j[assachusetts, have invented certain Improveinents in Cash and Parcel Carrier Sys tems for Store Service, Cm, of which the following is a full. clear, and exact description, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in

which- Figure 1 is a plan of the floor of a store provided with, a series of wire tracks extending from the various salesmens stations at the sales-counters to the cashiers station. Fig.

2 is an elevation representing two fixed singlewire tracks located in the same vertical plane, one above the other and inclined in opposite directions, the said tracks illustrating the principal feature of my present invention. Fig. 3 is also an elevation of the ends of said tracks, three positions of the switches, elevating apparatus, and car supported thereby at the salesmans station being shown. Fig. 4

represents the front of a car-elevator and the track-switch pivoted thereto, which is preferably employed at the salesmans station.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 6,

a transverse section on the line to w of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 represents the spring-catch for sup- 0 porting the elevator with its connecting-switch at the right height for the reception of the empty car as it passes off the lower end of the lower track on its return to the salesman.

Fig. 8 represents one of the pair of independ- 55 cut brackets employed at the salesmans end for securing the contiguous track thereto.

Fig. 9 represents the switch preferably employed at the cashicrs station, together with the means for inclining it alternately in 0p 4(, posite directions to form the upper and lower track-extensions. Figs. 10, 11, and 12 refer to the form of bracket for securing thereto the ends of the wire (or bight of the wire) at the cashiersstation. Figs. 13. let, 15, and 16 represent two wheel cars with cash and parcel receptacles constructed in accordance with my invention. one receptacle being of spherical and the other of cylindrical form; Fig. 17, is a sectional detail.

My invention has special reference to a store-service system in which inclined fixed ways extend between the eashiers and salesmens stations for the passage thereon by gravity of cash or parcel receptacles running on wheels; and one of the leading features of this invention consists in a pair of oppositelyinclincd fixed ways each having a single rail, of wire or other suitable 1naterial,and located one above the other, and with a means of trans.

ferrin g the wheeled carriers from the bottom or lower end of one track to the top or upper end of the other, or, in other words, a means of elevating the car and its contents at the salesmans station, locating said car on the upper track leading down to the cashier, and, after the car has passed the fixed end of the bottom of said track, a means at the cashicrs station of lowering the empty car to form connection with the lower track leading back to the salesman; and another leading feature of this invention is a carrying system in which a continuous circuit between each salesman and cashier is formed in the following manner: first, by raising the car and its contents on a trackextension at the salesmans station the vertical height corresponding to that between the place where the car receives its contents and a point at a level with or slightly above and outside the top or upper fixed end of the upper track, down said extension, over and beyond said upper fixed end, down the upper track to the bottom or lower fixed end thereof, thence over and beyond said fixed end upon an extension of the tracks at the cashiers station, thence lowered on the latter extension to the top or upper fixed end of the lower track, and over and beyond the same, down said track to over and beyond its lower fixed end to and upon the first track-extension referred to, and finally lowered thereon to the original or starting position of the car; and my invention also consists, in combination with the aforesaid oppositely-inclined fixed and single-rail tracks, of a pair of switches, one located at each station beyond the fixed ends of the tracks thereat, and connected with an elevating and depressing mechanism, said switches successivel y receiving and transferring the cars from the bottom track at the end contiguous thereto to the contiguous top of the other track, the complete circuit of a carrier being effected from salesman to cashier and from cashier to salesman on its return by the alternate raising and lowering of switch-connecting mechanism.

My invention also consists in two kinds of ICO switch-operating mechanism adapted for the salesmans and cashiers stations.

My invention also consists in the construction of two forms of brackets, to which the ends of the tracks at the cashiers and salesmans stations are respectively secured,whereby when the tracks are drawn taut and the brackets adjusted the track ends may be permanently fixed.

My invention also consists in a cash or parcel receptacle having a pivoted bottom, preferably weighted, so as to return automatically to its closed position;

My invention also consists in the specific construction of various details, such as the car, the elevator, its supporting and tripping mechanism, and spring device for cushioning the car and preventing it from jumping off the track, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the said drawings, A represents the cashiers desk, located near one end of a retail store, B B, the salesmen s stations at the counters, the cashiers desk being preferably higher than said counters, a series of two oppositely-inclined wire tracks, a I), each consisting of a single wire drawn taut, and having its ends securely fixed, radiate from the cashiers station to the station of the salesman, Figs. 1 and 2. The two tracks arelocated one above the other, and preferably in a common vertical plane, converging toward each other without meeting atthe cashiers station, and having an inclination similar to the two sides of an acute angle, one upward and the other downward toward the same, the foot of the upper track and the top of the lower one being separated only a short vertical distance at the cashiers station, while the top of the upper track and the bottom of the lower one at salesmans station are considerably farther apart, the distance between them depending on the length of the track. Immediately over the cashiers station is suspended by wires 0 from the ceilingO, (or supported on an upright post.) a plate, D, to the under side of which are secured a number of bifurcated brackets, E, corresponding to the number of lines of ways to be employed, the lower end of the upper wire contiguous to the cashiers station being se-' cured within a groove, d, in the end of the upper bifurcation of the bracket E, while the upper end of the lower track (also at cashiers station) is secured similarly to the lower bifurcation of said bracket, the curvature of and space between the bifurcations being made to conform to the size and shape of the car G to be employed, (Figs. 10, 11, 12,13, 14, 15, and 16.) The ends of the two wires at at the sal'esmans station are secured in the grooved ends of two separate andindependent curved brackets, H, each having a cylindrical eye atits outer end to admit of its application to an upright post, I, of corresponding form in cross-section and located near the shelves and held by and free to revolve within bearings e f. (SeeFigs.3,4, and 8.) Each bracket H extends out horizontally from the post I,

and its curvature is such that it does not lie in the path of or interfere with the movements "of the car or its operating mechanism. The brackets at both ends of the tracks are allowed to swing loosely on their pivots until the wires are drawn taut,- so that the pivotal points, the inner ends of the brackets where the ends of the wire are secured, and the direction of the trackare all located in one and the same straight line.

- Located at the salesmans end is a vertical guide-bar,-K, for the sliding elevator L, to which the switch or track extension M is pivoted at h. This switch consists of a long arm and a short arm, the long arm or switch proper being preferably of inverted-V shape in cross-section, (see Fig. 17,) as best adapted for strength and for the grooved wheels of the carriers to run on, the switch extending inwardly and being in its normal position held at the desired inclination upward to form a connection or exte'nsion'ofthe lower end of the lower track by a fiat spring, t, exerting a pressure on the outer short arm of the switch, one end of said spring being secured to the elevator at j, and-the other or bearing end of the spring left free, a stop, k, being located below the short arm for it to come against when the proper upward inclination of thc'switch or longer arm is arrived at, the degree of the inclination ofthe switch being preferably greater than that ofitslower connecting-track,in order thereby to better insure the retention of the car thereon, and. to give it a betterstartdown when ready to return, a catch for holding the car being thereby dispensed with. Zis a spring secured to the switch for reducing the force of contact of the car. The elevator with the switch and car thereon occupy I three positionsviz., first, at the bottom of the guidebar K, at a height convenient for the salesman to place the cash or parcel, or both, in the car; second, the middle position opposite the bottom of thelower track, and, third the upper position opposite the top of the upper track. (See Fig. 3.) In this last position the upward movement of the elevator is limited by its top striking against a stop, an, projecting from the guide-bar K; but before the elevator reaches this stop the inner end of the switch Mi. 0., contiguous to the top of the upper trackhas been brought against the under side of the rojecting end of the upper bracket, H, and is arrested thereby, the consequence being that as the elevator continues to rise the short arm is tipped up, as seen in Fig. 3, against IIO the resistance of the spring 2, the inclination of the switch downward being now greater than the incline of the upper track, in order that the car with its contents may start promptly and rapidly on its descent. In its middle position, where the switch receives the empty car from the cashier, the elevator (at the salesmans end) is supported by a pin, n, at its back catching into or upon a notch, 14, in a lever, N, constructed and arranged as follows:

To a cleat, J, projecting from the post I, is

pivoted at the lever N, to the upper end of which is secured one end of a spiral spring, 16, the other end of which is secured to the post. The lower end of this lever is curved or beveled off, as seen, the curvature tern1inating in the square shoulder 14, upon which the pin a rests to hold the elevator in this its middle position and for the switch M to receive the car from the lower end of the lower track. The elevator has secured to its top a cord, 18, which passes up and over a pulley, Q, located at the top of the frame-work or ceiling, the lower end of the cord terminating in a ring, 19, within reach of the salesman. \Vhen a sale is made, the salesman places the cash and parcel therefor within the car and raises it upon the switch to the upper end of the upper track, when the elevator, striking the stop at, the lower inner end of the switch comes under the upper fixed end of the upper-track connection, the spring 11 being compressed to allow of this movement, as before described. "With the switch in this position, the car with its contents is free to descend by gravity to the lower end of theupper track, where it runs onto the switch M at the cashiers station, the inclination downward of the switch M at this point being greater than that of the track a. The car here strikes a s1: ring-cushion,p,to break the concussion, and the cashier removes its contents, after which the cashier presses the lower arm, 20, of the switch M (which is pivoted at 21) against the resistance of a spring, 22, until the switch inclines downward to the upper end of the lower track, forming a continuous connection therewith, but inclining downward a greater degree than the inclination of the lower track, in order that the car may start promptly 011 its return to the lower end of the lower track and onto the switch there ready to receive it, when it strikesthe cushioningspring secured to the elevator, the said spring being thereby compressed and the car allowed to exert a pressure on the, arm 23, projecting from the spring-lever N, which holds the elevator in the middle position, said pressure on the arm 23 causing the notch or shoulder 11 of the lever N to slide outward from under the pin a of the elevator, which, with the switch and car thereon, are free to descend the guide'bar by gravity to the first or starting position of the car, ready to receive the cash and parcel of the next sale. The elevator, with the switch M and car thereon, may be tripped by a cord, 24:, leading from the lower end of the spring-lever N to the salesman. The cashiers switch, M, is secured (by the pivot 21) to the outer straight end of the bifurcated bracket E, Fig. 9, which is attached to the suspended plate D, said switch being returned to its normal position when the spring 22 asserts itself. When the cashiers station is located at or near the center of the store, the form of the plate D is preferably oval, the manner of securing the wire-holding brackets being as before de scribed.

The construction of the car G is as follows: A spherical receptacle, P, preferably divided into two equal portions, is secured to the flanged foot of the car-truck, which is curved downwardly at its middle and terminates in two standards. 25, in which are formed the bearings for the axles of the wheels ofthe car. The peripheries of these wheels are grooved, so as to fit the wire tracks and conform to the inverted-V shape of the switches M M or trackextensions and the grooved ends of the brackets E H, where the track-wires are secured, and also adapted to accommodate the passage of the wheels thereover. The standards, in which are located the bearings of the wheels, are connected with the top of the receptacle P at one side only thereof, the other side being open, Fig. 14:, so that the car may be readily placed upon or removed from the track, and to counteract any tendency of the car to jump or accidentally leave the track the top of the receptacle P'has secured thereto a curved flat spring, 26, (see Figs. 13, 14, and 15,) one end of said spring being fixed at r, and the other free to allow its middle slotted portion, Fig. 15, to press upward against the under side of the track, the portion of the spring 26 each side of the slot also extending up on each side of the wire and serving as guards for preventing the undue lateral play of the wheels thereon. The'lower portion of the receptacle is pivoted to the upper portion at s, and is 1 weighted at its botto1n,so that it will close when empty or when containing the cash or parcel. \Vhere a track is long and heavy parcels are to be transmitted thereon, brackets depending from the ceiling or posts rising from the floor may be used for supporting it at points intermediate of its ends to prevent sagging.

IOC

A single continuous wire may be employed to 1 form my aforesaid tracks, it being simply nec.

essary to secure the middle of the wire around stops it on the bracket at the cashiers station and the ends of the wire to the two brackets at the salesmans station. (See Fig. 10.)

It is evident that, as two inclined single-rail tracks, either solid or tubular, are a novelty in a carrier system when employed with a switch and car-elevating mechanism in a common vertical plane and beyond the ends of the tracks, I do not limit my invention to the aforesaid oppositely-inclined single-rail tracks located in the same vertical plane, as a single rail extending horizontally and fixed at both ends may be used with good results in connec- ,tion with a fixed inclined single-rail track when the two converge toward each other like the sides of an acute angle, suitable track-exten-.

tacle provided with wheels to descend by gravity thereon, in combination with a means for returning the receptacle to the station from which it was sent, substantially as set forth.

2. A permanently-fixed single-rail inclined track and a fixed horizontal single-rail track converging toward each other (without meeting) at an acute angle, in combination with a wheeled car, and a means for raising and lowering the same in order to transfer it from the end of one track to the contiguous end of the other, substantially as described.

3. Two oppositely-inclined single-rail fixed tracks located one above the other, in combination with a wheeled cash or parcel receptacle, and means located beyond the ends of the tracks for transferring it from one incli ne to the other, as specified.

4. A cash and parcel carrying system having two oppositely-inclined fixed single-rail tracks one above the other, and in which the car traverses the circuit between the salesman and the cashier in the order and in the manner by means substantially as follows: first, raising the car with its contents upon an inclined switch which forms a track-extension common to both tracks at the salesmans sta' tion, then allowing the car by gravity to descend the incline of said switch, then to pass over the fixed end of the upper track and down the same over its lower fixed end, then receiving the car upon an inclined switch or track extension common to both tracks at the cashiers station, where its contents are removed, then lowering the empty car on the switch to the upper end of the lower track, then down said switch over the fix ed end of said track to the foot of the same, then over the fixed lower end of thelower track to and upon the switch at the salesmans'station, and finally lowering said switch with the car thereon to the first position from which it started.

5. Two fixed single-rail tracks one located above and forming anacute angle with the other without meeting, in combination with a switch, M, pivoted to an elevator for transferring thecars vertically between the-fixed ends of the tracks at the salesmans station, the said switch also forming alternately a common extension to the track ends-thereat, as set forth. t

6. In combination with two fixed single-rail tracks one above and forming an acute angle with the other without meeting, the switch M, pivoted to a device located station for transferring the cars between the fixed ends of the tracks thereat, said switch alternately forming a common extension to said track ends, as described.

7. The switch M atthe 'salesmans station and the switch M at the cashiers station, in combination with two fixed single-rail tracks one above and forming an acute angle with the other without meeting, said switches alternately forming connections with and transferring the cars to their respective fixed ends of said tracks, substantially as specified.

8. The guide-bar K-,'-theelevator L, movthereto, in combination at the cashiers ing thereon, and the switch M, pivoted to the latter, in combination with the spring '5, for inclining the switch upward to form the lowertrack connection, and the stop 70, for counteracting the spring z' when the switch has arrived at its proper inclination, constructed to operate as set forth.

9. The elevatorL with the switch pivoted thereto, in combination with the guide-bar K, its stop m, and the upper end of the upper track for'inclining the switch down to form connection therewith, as described.

10. The lever N, with its notch 14 and spring 16, in combination with and for supporting the elevator L, with its pin a and switch M in its middle position, and the car G, cushioning-spring Z, and arm 23, for releasing the elevator and the switch and allowing the descent by gravity thereon of the empty'car.

11. The bifurcated bracket E, in combination with and for securing thereto the two track ends contiguous to the cashiers station, as specified. 7 l

12. The curved bracket E," with its bifurcations provided with grooves d. in combination with the two track ends contiguous to the cashiers station, as set forth.

13. The independent curved brackets H, with their grooved ends, in combination with the two fixed track ends at the salesmans station, substantially as described.

14. In combination, a continuous wire forming two fixed single-rail tracks one above and inclined at an acute angle to the otherv without meeting, a bifurcated bracket, E, having grooved ends to which the bight or middle of the single wire is secured, and two independent brackets, H, to which the ends of the wire .are secured, constructed substantial] y as speci- 15. A cash and parcel receptacle, P, having its lower portion weighted and pivoted with a wheeled car, G, and track adapted thereto,as set forth.

16. In combination with a car, G, having grooved wheels, a cash and parcel receptacle, P, provided with a spring for exerting an upward pressure on the track, and thereby counteracting the tendency of the car to jump from the same, substantially as described.

17. A wheeled carrier having one of its sides open to admit of its being seated upon or removed from the track at any point of its circuit by a simple lateral movement given thereto (the carrier) by the operator, incombination with the device which prevents the jumping of the carrier from the same, substantlally as specified.

Witness my hand this 20th day of December, 1884.

- JAMES K. P. NOURSE.

In presence of N. W. STEARNS, H. W. STEARNS. 

